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Motley Crue announce final tour, plans to split up

MOTLEY CRUE: It's the end of an era for Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars and Tommy Lee. Photo: WENN

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Metal rock band Motley Crue, which became emblematic of the hard-partying hair metal acts popular on 1980s MTV, will call it quits after their scheduled farewell tour concludes next year, the band said on Tuesday.

Best known for hit songs “Dr. Feelgood” and “Girls, Girls, Girls,” Motley Crue made the decision legally binding by signing a cessation of touring agreement at a news conference in their hometown of Los Angeles.

“Tommy said it best recently when he said a farewell tour is when a band does a farewell tour and then gets back together and does another farewell tour and breaks up and gets back together,” bassist Nikki Sixx said, referring to the band’s drummer Tommy Lee.

“We decided to call this a final tour and sign a contract telling you this is real because we want to be proud of Motley Crue and we want our fans to be proud of Motley Crue for decades to come,” he said.

The band’s final tour is due to begin on July 2 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and its North American leg is scheduled to conclude on November 21 in Vancouver before the group goes overseas in 2015.

Motley Crue was formed in 1981 by lead singer Vince Neil, guitarist Mick Mars, bassist Sixx and Tommy Lee and has sold more than 80 million albums. Its popularity peaked in 1989 with the album “Dr. Feelgood.”

Singer Neil left the group in 1992 but rejoined in 1997. Lee also left from 1999 until 2004.